Vrydagzynea brassii Ormerod, Austral. Orchid Rev. 63, 1 (1998) 13, fig.
Type: Brass 27086 (holo LAE; iso K, L)
Terrestrial. Rhizome incomplete in specimens seen, rooting at nodes, 4.8-6 cm long, 0.3 cm thick. Stem erect, with a rosette of 4-5 leaves at apex, below rosette laxly foliose, 11-21 cm long, 0.3 cm thick. Leaves 6-10 per stem, petiolate; lamina ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, acute, 3.5-6 by 1.1-2 cm; petiole 0.3-0.5 cm long before dilating into sheathing base. Inflorescence terminal, minutely laxly pubescent, 12.5-15.5 cm long, 0.1-0.25 cm thick; peduncle 8.5-10.5 cm long; rachis densely 15-25 flowered, 3-4.5 cm long. Peduncle-scales 2 or 3, 3-4 cm apart, ovate lanceolate, acute, base amplexicaul, 11 mm long, 3 mm wide. Floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, acute, 7-10 mm long, 2 mm wide. Pedicel with ovary erect, glabrous, 7-10 mm long, 2 mm thick. Capsule ellipsoid, 6-ribbed. Flowers glabrous. Median sepal ovate-elliptic, obtuse, 3 by 1.3 mm. Lateral sepals broadly elliptic, apex an obtuse lobule, 3 by 1.5 mm. Petals obliquely elliptic, shortly clawed, obtuse, the inner margin agglutinate to the dorsal sepal to form a galea, 3 by 1.3 mm. labellum cordate with a obtuse lobule each side at base, apex obtuse, 3 by 2.2 mm; keels two, divergent, laminate, pubescent, beginning inside spur mouth and ending just before labellum apex. Spur about oblongoid, obtuse, 3.3 mm long, 1.5 mm diameter; internal appendages two, stipitate, globose, fleshy, about halfway along the back wall of the spur. Column as per genus. (After Ormerod, 1998)
Colours: Flowers greenish-white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lower montane forest; 900 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 725-57M.JPG.
Cultivation: Intermediate growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.